SPORTS BRIEFS

Agencies

Thu, Dec 05, 2013 - Page 18

BASEBALL

Yankees sign Ellsbury

Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached an agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about US$153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said on Tuesday. Ellsbury is the second major free-agent addition in the Yankees’ off-season rebuilding after missing the playoffs for just the second time in 19 years. The center fielder was to take a physical in New York yesterday that he must pass before the deal can be finalized. The Yankees also had been negotiating with outfielder Choo Shin-soo, who like Ellsbury is represented by agent Scott Boras. Earlier on Tuesday, New York finalized a US$85 million, five-year contract with All-Star catcher Brian McCann.

RUGBY UNION

Read named player of year

New Zealand No. 8 Kieran Read was on Tuesday named as the International Rugby Board’s player of the year for this year. The 28-year-old becomes the third All Black to win the award, following current international teammates flanker and captain Richie McCaw (three) and flyhalf Dan Carter (two). Read’s honor capped a hat-trick of awards for New Zealand, who picked up the team of the year award, while Steve Hansen was named coach of the year. Read edged out British and Irish Lions and Wales fullback Leigh Halfpenny, young South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth, Italy captain Sergio Parisse and All Black teammate Ben Smith for the award.

SOCCER

Dortmund advance in Cup

Borussia Dortmund advanced to the German Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win at minnows Saarbruecken on Tuesday, but Ruhr Valley neighbors Schalke 04 suffered a third-round exit. German Cup holders and European champions Bayern Munich were to host Bundesliga rivals Augsburg yesterday. Schalke crashed out with a 3-1 defeat at home to top-tier rivals TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The Royal Blues’ defense was left in disarray as Hoffenheim raced into a 3-0 lead after just 35 minutes with goals by Kai Herdling, Kevin Volland and Roberto Firmino. Schalke pulled one back through Peru forward Jefferson Farfan with just over half an hour to go. Dortmund eased their way into the last eight with a comfortable victory at third-division Saarbruecken. Borussia boss Jurgen Klopp opted to rest several stars, but his team went ahead through a first-half header from reserve striker Julian Schieber. Promising 21-year-old attacking midfielder Jonas Hofmann added a second just after the break. Hamburg went through as they enjoyed a 2-1 win over second-division Cologne, while Union Berlin went down 3-0 at home to Kaiserslautern in an all second-division tie.

SOCCER

Juve fined over children

Juventus were fined on Tuesday after a decision to allow schoolchildren to use seats usually occupied by hardcore fans banned for discriminatory chanting backfired spectacularly. The Serie A club let 12,200 children sit at both ends of their stadium for Sunday’s match against Udinese, but the rowdy children behaved little better than the ultras and Juve were fined 5,000 euros (US$6,800) after they shouted abuse at Udinese keeper Zeljko Brkic every time he took a goal-kick. “Juventus were fined after their [very, very young] supporters repeatedly aimed an insulting chant at a player from the opposing team,” Serie A’s disciplinary panel said in a statement. The children were copying a ritual in Italy in which the visiting ’keeper is insulted whenever he takes a goal-kick.